The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of reserving a plurality of printing jobs.
In recent years, an image forming apparatus with a reserved copying function has been commercialized. The reserved copying function is utilized as follows. Function setting for a subsequent printing job is conducted by using the operation section of the image forming apparatus and a document of the subsequent printing job is read with a scanner. After completion of the printing job presently under execution, automatic execution of the subsequent printing job is carried out.
For such an image forming apparatus, proposals have been made regarding techniques capable of registration of a plurality of reserved copying operations, rearrangement of the executing order of the reserved copying operations, cancellation of reserved copying, and change of copying conditions of the reserved copying operation. Such proposals includes an image forming apparatus having a function of checking the presence of a sheet to be used for the printing job of subsequent execution after completion of the printing job presently under execution, a function of checking the presence of other printing jobs that can be executed when there are no sheets to be used for the aforementioned subsequent printing job and a function of changing the executing order of the reserved jobs when there is another printing job which can print (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-312271 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2001-203851)
In an image forming apparatus having a prior art reserved copying function, when the printing job during output operation has been suspended for some reason (e.g., absence of paper, mismatching of paper size), and any command for restarting the suspended printing job is not given through the operation section, the apparatus automatically checks the subsequent printing jobs to ensure if there is any job that can be executed. If there is any, the apparatus changes the job order and executes the job. That is, the apparatus automatically proceeds to and executes the next job that can be executed.
In the prior art image forming apparatus, however, even if a user wishes to restart immediately the job having been suspended, a subsequent job may be started against the user's intention. Further, if the next job that is executable is large in volume, the user may have to wait for a long time before that job comes to an end.
There thus exists a need to improve the efficiency of printing with a plurality of reserved printing jobs in an image forming apparatus having a reserved copying function and to enable the apparatus to execute jobs in consideration of user's intention.